Dark humor, a scandalous crew, love, sex and death mix on a euthanasia cruise. In the twilight of their lives, Maureen and George meet and fall in love on the 63rd sailing of a "La Dolce Morte" cruise. They share a love they never imagined at this time in their lives. The wild crew and brave passengers are a slice of life; the profound and the profane meet on the high seas for a cruise like no other. For the "Blue Card" passengers, this is a one way trip. For the crew, it's another tough journey. For the ship, it may be the end of its days. The Sweet Death: La Dolce Morte is the story of a love with limits, but not in ways that matter. This is a simple love story: two single passengers meet on a cruise and fall in love. But simple does not mean usual, because this is not a usual cruise by any stretch of the imagination. This is a euthanasia cruise -- one way for most passengers. The ms Acheron, sailing monthly from San Francisco, is specially equipped and staffed. It is a masterpiece of design with luxurious service and sumptuous food. Designed from the keel up to accommodate funeral services and storage of the remains, it meets the special needs of "transitional passengers." This super-deluxe cruise is called "La Dolce Morte," the sweet death. Those who have chosen to have their "transition" during the cruise, known as Blue Card passengers, are cared for by a professional staff trained to administer the sweet death. Maureen and George, both single and in their eighties, have embarked on the cruise beyond hope of recovering from their illnesses. Their chance encounter grows into a powerful relationship, at a critical time, the end of their individual struggle to deal with their suffering. The crew's promiscuous and scandalous habits counterpoint the passengers' suffering and fear. And the crew learns important lessons during their volleyball tournament, proving themselves by standing up to challenges. The ms Acheron is mired in legal battles regarding the legality of its operations, and its captain and crew are challenged to keep things on an even keel in these rough waters. The captain has been instructed to be extremely vigilant for any problems that may arise onboard. As we watch the love story unfold, against the backdrop of the ship, the crew and its brave passengers, we understand the power of love over the human spirit. But complications develop, and the story takes some unexpected turns. This is a story of endings and beginnings, and how the lines between them are unclear. It is a story of aging and death with the promise of hope.
About the Author: James Ellison Wills is a California writer, documentary film producer and world traveler. He worked for twenty years as a guide in the Himalaya of Nepal and the mountains of Japan. His inspiration to write this love story grew from a conversation with an Italian fellow traveler in the Adriatic Sea, as well as his experiences while taping his last documentary on location in India.